The standoff continues in Senegal. Faced with the failure of the latest negotiations with the Ministry of Public Service, the Trade Union Front for the Defense of Labor (FSDT) has carried out its threat by declaring a 24-hour general strike this Friday.

This coalition, which brings together 12 trade union organizations, is protesting mainly against the lack of consultation surrounding reforms affecting workers' rights and against waves of mass layoffs.

A visible impact on a national scale

The call for a strike was widely heeded. According to FSDT estimates, the participation rate reached 75% nationwide . The consequences of this movement were particularly visible in several key sectors of the administration and daily life:

1. Public transport: Severely disrupted and running at a reduced capacity.
2. Justice: Activity significantly slowed in the courts.
3. Health: Minimal operations and disruptions observed in several public hospitals.

The 3 main points of contention

Despite successive mobilizations in early April and on May 1st, the unions consider the current progress insufficient. Three major demands are at the heart of the tensions:

1. Labor Code reform: The government's plan proposes extending the maximum duration of fixed-term contracts (CDDs) to four years (compared to the current two years), with the possibility of renewal. This increased job insecurity is deemed "unacceptable" by employee representatives.
2. Reinstatement of dismissed employees: Unions denounce waves of unfair dismissals in the public and semi-public sectors. They demand the immediate cancellation of the dismissal of approximately 3,000 employees .
3. The cost of living: Faced with inflation, organizations are calling for concrete and urgent measures to preserve household purchasing power.

And then what? Although new discussions are scheduled in the coming days, the unions are already warning: without a strong gesture from the authorities, new strike actions will be launched.